Twagirayezu, Arima Honored by USA South

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Covenant men's basketball junior Patjo Twagirayezu was voted to the All-USA South second team and senior Z Arima was the Scots' representative on the All-Sportsmanship team as the conference announced its postseason awards on Wednesday, Feb. 22.

The All-Conference honor is the first for Twagirayezu, while it is the third straight year that Arima has represented Covenant on the All-Sportsmanship team.

A junior from Kigali, Rwanda, Twagirayezu has put together the best season of his career. Twagirayezu leads the team in scoring at 13.0 points per game and is shooting 49 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from 3-point land. He has scored in double figures in 14 games, with six 20-plus point performances. Twagirayezu scored a career-high 28 points in a win over Huntingdon on Feb. 2 and scored 26 in an overtime victory against William Peace on Jan. 28.

Twagirayezu was named the USA South Player of the Week on Nov. 28 after scoring a then-career-high 24 points in a 68-65 road victory at Birmingham Southern the week prior.

Arima, a senior from Herriman, Utah, also had a career year. Arima is averaging 11.6 points per game and shooting a USA South-best 50 percent from 3-point territory. The senior scored a career-high 26 points on two occasions this season coming against No. 4-ranked Whitman on Dec. 10 and then at Huntingdon on Feb. 8. He has scored in double figures 15 times, with a streak of eight such games from Nov. 29-Jan. 10.

Averett senior Charles Bryant was voted the league's Player of the Year, while head coach David Doino was selected the Coach of the Year. North Carolina Wesleyan freshman AJ Frye earned Rookie of the Year honors. All awards are voted on by the men's basketball coach at each institution.

Covenant (14-11) opens USA South Tournament play on Thursday against top-seed Averett at 7 p.m. in Danville, Va.